Just three weeks after the road was opened to traffic, the saga of the safety shortcomings of route 431 between Modi'in and Rishon LeZion has taken a new turn. "Globes" has learned that Israel National Roads Company Ltd., which is acting as the authority in charge of the project, has ordered contractor Danya Cebus Ltd. (TASE: DNYA) to submit a plan immediately for erecting safety barriers along the length of the road. The cost of the fences along the 110 kilometer route is estimated in the tens of millions of shekels.
Israel National Roads said it decided to take this extraordinary step after inspections showed that some of the safety barriers along the road were not installed properly.
This follows previous claims that franchisee Netivei Hayovel, owned by Danya Cebus, concealed safety hazards on the road.
Israel National Roads has officially requested the government tenders committee to withhold all payments due to the franchisee, including a set-up grant of NIS 200 million, until all safety hazards on the road have been rectified.
Danya Cebus declined to comment. A source close to the company said, "This is another stage in the campaign of mudslinging against the company. There is no doubt that route 431 is among the safest roads in Israel. If Israel National Roads really thinks that the road is unsafe, they should close it and have done."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on February 25, 2009
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